Dome hoist



Aug; 5, 1969 A. A. FAULKNER 3,459,406

DOME HOIST Filed Sept. 25, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EQQAYQ- INVENTOR ALBERT A. FAULK/VER ATTORNFY Aug. 5, 1969 A. A. FAULKNER 06 DOME HOIST Filed Sept. 25, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALBERT A. FAl/LKNER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,459,406 DOME HOIST Albert A. Faulkner, Conshohocken, Pa., assignor to Harmonic Reed Corporation, Conshohocken, Pa., a

corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 670,290 Int. Cl. B66c 23/60; B66d 1/12; G09b 27/00 U.S. Cl. 254-144 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dome hoist for planetarium domes wherein the hoist mechanism is centrally located and mounted above the dome with cables extending to a ring supporting the dome and which may be simultaneously wound on a single drum.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to a dome hoist for planetarium domes which is centrally located above the dome.

Description of the prior art The tremendous increase in space science has led many schools and institutions of higher education to install planetariums or star projectors. In some instances special rooms have been built or existing facilities have been modified for use as classrooms in which planetariums and their domes can be located for instruction in celestial science. The domes must be capable of being moved to out of use locations so that the space can be used for other purposes or the domes may have to be repositioned during use to illustrate particular space phenomenon. The existing dome hoist constructions are not centrally located and do not have sufficient lifting capacity for heavy domes.

The present invention is suitable for use with light and heavy domes, has high lifting capacity, and maintains the dome in level condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present invention is to provide a dome hoist for use with planetarium domes which is useful with either fiat or domed ceilings.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dome hoist for use with planetarium domes where the dome supporting cables are simultaneously wound onto a single drum.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dome hoist for use with planetarium domes which is centrally located with respect to the dome.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dome hoist for use with planetarium domes which is compact and has great load lifting capacity for its space.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dome hoist for use with planetarium domes which accurately and rapidly positions the dome while maintaining it in a level condition.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dome hoist for planetarium domes which permits of easy level adjustment of the dome if required.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

3,459,406 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 FIG. 1 is a side elevational view in partial section of the dome hoist in out of use position, the dome position for use being shown in dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, enlarged, and rotated, taken approximately on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner of dome cable attachment.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the dome hoist of the present invention is illustrated as mounted on a dome or arched ceiling 10 and in suspension supporting relationship to a planetarium dome 11 which is illustrated of multiple piece segmented construction.

The dome hoist comprises a motor 12 with attached winch drum 14, and mounted on a horizontal frame plate 15. The frame plate 15 is secured to the ceiling 10 by bolts 16 in a conventional manner. A pair of front cables 20 are engaged with the drum 14 and extend downwardly over pulleys 21 on shafts 22 mounted in plates 23 secured to the top of plate 15. The cables 20 extend downwardly through openings 19 in plate 15 and engage pulleys 24 On shafts 25 mounted in plates 26 on the bottom of plate 15, thence extend to multiple pulleys 27 on shafts 28 mounted in brackets 30 which are secured to the ceiling 10 in well known manner. The cables 20 extend to and engage a channel ring 31 through turnbuckles 32' for level adjustment.

A pair of rear cables 32 are also engaged with the drum 14, pass down through openings 19 in plate 15 and engage pulleys 24 on shafts 25 mounted in plates 26 on the bottom of plate 15. The cables 32 extend to the left where they engage multiple pulleys 27 on shafts 28 carried on brackets 30 which are secured to the ceiling 10 in well known manner. The cables 32 further extend to and are connected through turnbuckles 32' to a channel ring 31, for level adjustment.

The dome 11 which is here illustrated as being of multiple piece construction has an outer segmental plastic shell 35 with arcuate rib members 36 over the outside of the shell from a common junction 37 at the top to the bottom of shell 35 where they form a rim 38. The channel ring 31 extends around the shell 35 and is preferably of square configuration in vertical cross section as shown in FIG. 5. The ring 31 has chains 40 attached thereto which extend to turnbuckles 41 engaged by brackets 42 fastened to the rib members 36 by bolts 43, for leveling.

The mode of operation will now be pointed out. To position the dome 11 either for storage or use the motor 12 is activated to rotate winch drum 14 and either take in or pay out cables 20 and 32, depending on whether upward or downward motion of the dome 11 is desired. The cables 20 or 32 are urged upwardly or downwardly and through pulleys 21, 24, 27, channel ring 31, chains 40, and turnbuckles 41 move the dome 11 as desired.

If adjustment is needed for leveling the turnbuckles 32' and/or 41 may be adjusted to level the dome 11 and to distribute the weight equally. It should be noted that the placement of the winch drum 14 over the center of the dome 11 will require less cable than other systems, and greater weights can be lifted. If desired, limit switches (not shown) may be interposed between the dome 11 and ceiling 10 to halt undesired upward movement of the dome 11. I claim: 1. An overhead mounted dome hoist for a planetarium dome which comprises a planetarium dome having an exterior supporting ring, adjustable connectors between said ring and the exterior portions of said dome, a mounting frame plate member above said dome at a fixed location, said mounting frame plate member having centrally mounted thereon a reversible motor driven winch drum, and a plurality of flexible connecting members connected to said drum and extending downwardly, and radially outwardly and downwardly, and being connected at uniformly spaced peripheral locations to said ring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,444,690 7/1948 Almendinger 254-144 2,477,027 7/1949 Wenberg 35-43 2,579,681 12/1951 Leitner 254-144 2,953,969 10/1960 Pepple 254 144 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner HARVEY C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

